The Observer offers up its endorsements for the Aug. 30 primary–and Observer and FlaglerLive editors and publishers talk about them on WNZF, the 55th anniversary of the Berlin Wall, Olympic fanfare.
All Else
School Districts Focus Efforts on Stopping Zika Spread as Cases Mount
Classroom materials were being distributed to teachers and administrators across the state so that they can encourage students “to take simple steps in order to help prevent Zika,” including removing standing water, using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing.
Flagler School District Sued Over Allegation of A Child-on-Child Sex Battery at Old Kings VPK
The allegation dates from a May 2015 incident in which two VPK students are alleged to have touched or kissed the genitals of a third, and that the alleged assailants were allowed to return to Old Kings Elementary, though not in the same classroom as the alleged victim.
Caitlin E. Ryone, 19, Is Dead In Mondex After Report of Gunshots; Sheriff’s Deputies Investigating
Ryone, a 2014 graduate of Flagler Palm Coast High School, was found dead of a gunshot at 4664 Mahogany Boulevard in Daytona North, or the Mondex. The sheriff’s office is investigating to determine whether it is a suicide or a homicide.
Ken Mazzie, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Ken Mazzie is a Republican candidate for the Flagler County Commission in District 1. He faces Charlie Ericksen and Dan Potter in the Aug. 3 Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Jason DeLorenzo, the departing Palm Coast City Council member.
Thursday Briefing: Gun Buy-Back, Chamber’s Hob-Nob With Candidates, Flagler Beach Montessori, Fluoridated Water
The sheriff’s office takes back any guns you want to give up today, last major candidate gathering before the Aug. 30 primary, Flagler Beach’s Montessori school hopes to get a lease, a busy day in circuit court.
Bunnell Commission Honors Two Boys, 10 And 12, For Helping Save 88-Year-Old Woman
The Bunnell City Commission Monday evening awarded its Outstanding Citizen Award to two young city residents, Russell Rouson, 10, and Steven Dozier, 12, for alerting police and helping to save the life of an 88-year-old woman who had hurt herself in her home in June.
Florida Elections Officials Seek to Assure Voters That Machines Are Safe From Hacking
Florida elections officials are pushing back on suggestions that this year’s voting results could be hacked or otherwise threatened by a cyberattack.
Clinton Erases Trump’s Brief, Slim Lead in Florida, Up in Ohio, Surging in Pennsylvania
Hillary Clinton has regained the lead–barely–she relinquished last month to Donald Trump in Florida, turning a three-point deficit into a one-point advantage (46-45) in the latest Quinnipiac University poll of three battleground states.
Wednesday Briefing: Back to School, Back to Pot, Back to Phelps, Nagasaki at 71, Latino Voting Power
School’s back earlier than ever, the advisory council crafting an ordinance that would create a civil citation program for some pot users tries again to vote on the ordinance, Latino voting power in Florida, Dvorak’s American Quartet.
Masked Man Who Taunted Lamb at Sheriff’s Forum Is Unmasked as Whisenant Supporter
Richard Rubin, a twice-arrested local resident and supporter of Mark Whisenant’s sheriff’s campaign, attempted to rattle candidate John Lamb Monday evening by riding masked and in camouflage and holding up a sign claiming Lamb and his family did not live in the county, a false claim.
Three Hurt, One Critical in Two-Vehicle Wreck on U.S. 1 and Wellfield Grade in Palm Coast
Three people were hospitalized, one of them in critical condition, following a two-vehicle wreck on U.S. 1 and Wellfield Grade in Palm Coast just before 5 p.m. today. Wellfield Grade is a short distance north of Palm Coast Parkway.
Belle Terre Swim Club’s Pool Office Burglarized, $75 Stolen
When Robert Stump arrived for work at the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club in Palm Coast at 6 Monday morning, he found the door to the pool office kicked in, and $75 missing from the cash register. The cash register drawer was on the floor.
Taxpayers Hit for $215,000 to Repair Bunkers at City’s Money-Losing Palm Harbor Golf Club
The cost is in addition to the $155,000 the course has lost–and taxpayers have chipped in–so far this year. Bunker repair costs will be greater than that of several bridge repairs the city is planning over the next few years in the city proper.
‘Iransom’: Sorry, Mr. President, It’s a Hard Story to Let Go
Nancy Smith says she’s thought about what she calls “the ransom scandal” every day since a report on how President Obama secured the release of four Americans held hostage by the Iranians by flying in $400 million in cash “to buy them back.”
Business Briefs: McFarland and Sprague at Grand Living, Ecker at Parkside, McEnaney at Real Living Palm West
Susan McFarland and Karen Sprague have joined Grand Living Realty, Randy Ecker earned his real estate broker’s license, Kathy McEnaney has joined Real Living Palm West Home Realty.
Back to Eden Café, Specializing in Vegetarian and Raw Foods, Re-Opens in Downtown Flagler Beach
Back to Eden Café in Flagler Beach, the organic, vegan, vegetarian, and raw living foods restaurant, has re-opened, manager Maria Serrano said. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinners downtown at at 210 S. Central Ave.
Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation Raises $129,000 for Adolescent Care Facility
Proceeds benefit the Huger Adolescent Campus Project, which includes major renovations of SMA’s facility on Tiger Bay Road to create a new Adolescent Campus that will re-imagine what it means to deliver an exceptional experience for a child going through a difficult time of life.
Tuesday Briefing: Rick Scott’s Slash of Mosquito Control Dollars, School Open Houses, Refugees Moved and Unmoved
School open houses at Buddy Taylor, Wadsworth, Bunnell and Rymfire, Palm Coast’s city-funded golf course looks at a $200,000 bill for bunker repairs, Team Refugees moves everyone, refugees do not.
With 30 of 67 Counties Reporting Zika, Scott Calls For Protection in Schools and Colleges
Scott met with St. Johns County officials on Monday to review Zika response plans. State health officials still believe the 17 Florida cases all originated in the Wynwood neighborhood in Miami-Dade County, with the person involved in the new Palm Beach case having recently traveled to Miami.
Investigation Into West Flagler Home Fire and Suicide Ends in “Undetermined” Conclusion
“It appears that Kevin Clayton started the fire and then took his own life,” the fire investigation into the November fire concluded, but no actual cause or source of the fire was discovered.
Sharon Demers, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Sharon Demers is a candidate for the Flagler County School Board, running against Paul Anderson, Maria Barbosa, and Myra Middleton-Valentine. All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the Aug. 30 primary in this non-partisan race regardless of party affiliation. The winner will be decided on Aug. 30.
Monday Briefing: Sheriff Candidates Face Off, Freshman Orientation at FPC, Bunnell and Civil Citations
The News-Journal hosts a sheriffs’ candidate forum at Buddy Taylor Middle School this evening, the Bunnell City Commission considers going easier on first-time pot offenders (but don;t hold your breath), it’s freshman orientation at FPC.
My Mother, Stopped for Driving While Black
The mistreatment of black people by police officers isn’t new, nor is it surprising, argues Milen Mehari. According to the Justice Department, black people are almost four times more likely than whites to experience the use of force during police encounters.
Public’s Help Sought in Locating Michael Adam Wolfe, 27, Missing and Endangered
Michael Adam Wolfe, 27, was reported missing on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 8:26 p.m. from 66 Russell Drive in Palm Coast. He was last seen on Tuesday, Aug. 2, by his caregiver.
Gun Violence And Mental Health Laws, 50 Years After Texas Tower Sniper Murdered 16
Six months before Charles Whitman took aim from that tower he visited a school psychiatrist, and admitted while there that he had a violent fantasy of going to the top of the tower with a deer rifle and shooting people.
Palm Coast’s Opelka Reaches First ATP Pro Semifinal in Atlanta With Win Over Top-60 Foe
It was Opelka’s second straight win over a Top 60 opponent, after Opelka stunned world No. 28 ranked Kevin Anderson in a three-set thriller on Wednesday.
Paul Anderson, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Paul Anderson is a candidate for the Flagler County School Board, running against Sharon Demers, Maria Barbosa, and Myra Middleton-Valentine. All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the Aug. 30 primary in this non-partisan race regardless of party affiliation. The winner will be decided on Aug. 30.
2 Found Dead at Slowdrift Turn Home in Palm Coast, Where Homeowner Had Threatened to Kill Cops
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies making a “welfare check” Thursday afternoon found two people dead at 4 Slowdrift Turn in Palm Coast. The homeowners had a history of recent arrests.
Jason Sands, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Jason Sands is a candidate for the Flagler County School Board, running against Colleen Conklin All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the Aug. 30 primary in this non-partisan race regardless of party affiliation. The winner will be decided on Aug. 30.
Weekend Briefing: Sales Tax Holiday, Ceremonial Checks to Schools and County, AR-15’s Terrors, Favela Olympics
The annual sales tax holiday for clothing below $60 and stationery or school items below $15 begins after midnight Friday, through the weekend, Sen. Hutson and Rep. Paul Renner deliver bacon to the local school board and county commission, Brahms’s piano concerto in D Minor.
Racism Allegations Against Jacksonville Judge Hulsey Enter Case of Black Man on Death Row
Other black defendants whose cases were overseen by Hulsey “are living with the fear that the proceedings were infected by racial prejudice,” but questions about Hulsey’s impartiality also affect “the public at large and all residents of Florida,” lawyer Martin McClain wrote.
Kangaroo on Palm Harbor Parkway Robbed at Gunpoint in Early Morning, Two Suspects Flee
The Kangaroo convenience store at 1201 Palm Harbor Parkway in Palm Coast was the target of an armed robbery by two men early this morning. They fled originally on foot with cash and cigarette cartons. It’s not known if they had a vehicle nearby.
Gov. Scott Says Florida Still a “Safe State” as Zika Travel Advisories Begin to Target the State
A big concern for Florida is the frequency of travel between the state and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, where more than 4,500 cases have been reported, nearly all contracted through mosquitoes.
Colleen Conklin, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Colleen Conklin is a candidate for the Flagler County School Board, running against Jason Sands All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the Aug. 30 primary in this non-partisan race regardless of party affiliation. The winner will be decided on Aug. 30.
Tiffany Edwards Returns to Flagler Chamber as Events and Marketing Director
Edwards’ chief responsibilities will include planning, executing and marketing special events, securing event sponsors and developing new programs as determined by the Chamber board.
Thursday Briefing: Bethune-Cookman Dual Orientation, Free Zika Tests, the Last Bookstore, Cuffing Landon
Florida will offer free Zika tests for all women, Matanzas has orientation for dual enrollment at Bethune-Cookman University, Bob Cuff on Jim Landon, a video on the last bookstore.
Man Thought to Be Breaking Into Van Detained By 8 Construction Workers Before Cops Arrive
Jacob Atkinson, 24, said he confused another van for his. He was restrained by eight construction workers after midnight Wednesday at the Publix parking lot off Belle Terre Parkway.
Belle Terre Swim Club Advisory Group Violates School Policy as It Plods Into Political Forums
The Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club, created to help save the school board-owned facility, organized three political forums at the club without board permission, used a membership list to send out invitations in violation of board policy, and is not being charged the usual rate for use of facilities.
Ron Radford, Palm Coast Mayoral Candidate: The Live Interview
Ron Radford is a candidate for Palm Coast mayor. He faces three other candidates: Milissa Holland, Dennis McDonald and John Brady in the non-partisan election on Aug. 30, in which all registered voters may cast a ballot.
Wednesday Briefing: Welcome Back Teachers, Aveo’s Bad Sell, City Council and GOP Congressional Forums, Student Laptops
Middle school students at Indian Trails get their laptops, two candidate forums–for Palm Coast City Council and GOP congressionals–teachers’ return, James Baldwin, John Oliver on Donald Trump.
5 Names Emerge as Maneuvering for Governor’s Appointment for Meeker’s Commission Seat Intensifies
David Alfin, Ed Fuller, Howard Holley, Jon Netts and Patrick Kelly are all confirmed likely applicants to Frank Meeker’s county commission seat, while Milissa Holland, Gail Wadsworth, Garry Lubi and Jim Ulsamer have ruled it out.
Dennis McDonald, Palm Coast Mayoral Candidate: The Live Interview
Dennis McDonald is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor. He faces three other candidates: John Brady, Milissa Holland, and Ron Radford. All registered city voters regardless of party may cast a vote in the non-partisan election on Aug. 30.
DuBose Pulls Out of Palm Coast Council Race, Opening Way to Quicker McGuire Replacement
Troy DuBose’s withdrawal essentially creates a two-way race between Bob Cuff and Sims Jones, and a stronger possibility of a winner by Aug. 30, who could then immediately fill the same seat Bill McGuire is resigning in mid-August, sparing the council the tortures of an appointment process.
Tuesday Briefing: Replacing McGuire, School Attorney’s Contract, Matanzas Students’ Laptops, Congressional Forum, Agustin Barrios
The Flagler County Democrats host a forum of congressional candidates, the school board approves the attorney’s contract through 2019, Palm Coast discusses replacing councilman Bill McGuire, Hispanic voters’ numbers.
For Commissioner Frank Meeker, a Tribute From the Hearts of a Decade’s Colleagues
For an hour Monday morning, Meeker’s closest colleagues remembered the man death surprised at 61 on July 22, themselves not yet over the shock of having lost him after seen him in that seat just 16 days before his death.
Homegrown Zika Cases in Florida Climb to 14 As State Asks for Additional Federal Help
A statement released by Scott’s office said the 14 locally transmitted cases are believed to have occurred in a 1-square-mile area north of downtown Miami. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a notice advising women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant to avoid unnecessary travel to the targeted area.
Milissa Holland, Palm Coast Candidate for Mayor: The Live Interview
Milissa Holland is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor. She faces three other candidates: John Brady, Dennis McDonald, and Ron Radford. All registered city voters regardless of party may cast a vote in the non-partisan election on Aug. 30.
Monday Briefing: Today is the Primary Registration Deadline, Meeker Tribute, Flagler Fluoride, Hobby Lobby
Last chance to register for the Aug. 30 primary, the County Commission has a busy day with two meetings and a tribute to the late Frank Meeker, FPC students get their laptops, Hobby Lobby opens at Island Walk, the doping Olympiads get set to begin, and picking rice is hard work.
Palm Coast Council Candidate Troy DuBose May Abandon Run and Opt For County Post
Troy DuBose, a candidate for the District 1 seat on the Palm Coast City Council, said he’ll drop out of he is appointed to the Flagler County Planning Board on Monday, where he is the only candidate who applied.